1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact type image sensor used in an image information processing apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, an image reader, a copying machine, or the like, and a producing method of the same and, more particularly, to a structure of a support member of the image sensor.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a contact type image sensor is known. The contact type image sensor has a support member for supporting a sensor array for performing photoelectric conversion, an imaging element for imaging light reflected by an original on the sensor array, a member for defining a reading surface of the original, and a light source for illuminating the original.
Such an image sensor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,431 "Image Reading Apparatus with Jam-Prevention Feature" (inventors: Ogura et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,644 "Method and Apparatus for Reading an Image" (inventors: Shirato et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,670 "Method of Manufacturing Photosensors" (inventors: Fukaya et al.), and the like.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a conventional contact type image sensor, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure taken along a line A--A' in FIG. 1.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional contact type image sensor is constituted by mounting a sensor 8, including an array of a plurality of pixels, for performing photoelectric conversion, a sensor board 9 mounted with a protection film 10 for protecting the sensor 8, a light-emitting diode array 6 as a light source for radiating light onto an original 13 to be read, a lens array 7 as a lens for imaging an image of the original to be read on a light-receiving portion of the sensor 8, and a transparent member 4 serving as a reading surface on a first frame 1 as a support means.
The first frame 1 is formed with a slit 11 over almost the total length except for the two ends in the longitudinal direction for the purpose of guiding light from the lens array 7 to the light-receiving portion of the sensor 8. For this reason, the sectional shape of the first frame 1 is divided into regions 1-a and 1-b, as shown in FIG. 2.
As a means for attaching components to predetermined positions of the frame 1, a second frame 2 for attaching the sensor board 9, fixing screws 3 for attaching the lens array 7, and an adhesive, a double-sided tape, a screw, or the like (not shown) for attaching the light-emitting diode array 6 are used.
However, in the prior art, the following problems remain unsolved.